Is a Pit Bull breed right for you? See if you answer “Yes” to most of the following:

Am I an experienced dog owner, or a natural leader?

Am I firmly committed to socializing and training my dog?

Do I tend to be calm and quiet rather than short-fused?

Will I train my dog with kindness, consistency, and patience?

Am I informed about the misconceptions and biases against the breed?

Do I understand that this dog must live in the heart of my family, never be chained in a yard, or expected to live in a kennel?

Am I a physically active person?

Am I willing to be at least twice as responsible a dog owner as anyone I know?

Our Program
Friends to the Forlorn is dedicated to rescuing any Pit Bull that needs help, regardless of where they come from. Dogs eligible for our program include abandoned dogs that are wandering the streets scared, alone, starving, suffering abuse at the hands of humans, struck by vehicles and left in a ditch to slowly agonize to death, or worse, those who will find themselves used as bait dogs in some fighters yard.

Friends to the Forlorn also works with several Animal Shelters and Animal Control facilities in the region and we regularly pull Pit Bulls from "death row". We are licensed with the state of Georgia and authorized to rescue dogs from shelters that don't adopt out Pit Bulls to the public. Local shelters usually have a heartbreaking number of Pit Bulls and Pit mixes hoping for a chance. Sadly, most of them will not make it out of the shelter alive unless bailed out by Friends to the Forlorn.

Friends to the Forlorn occasionally takes dogs that are losing their home due to BSL or for other "valid" reasons, such as sickness or death in the family.
We do NOT take dogs from individuals who have unaltered pets.

Dogs are brought into the program as space is available. The Selection Process
Friends to the Forlorn does not have a formal selection process. We select dogs with our hearts first and foremost. We choose those dogs we believe to be good representatives of the breed and have the potential to make great companions. It is very unfortunate that we can only help a few dogs at the time but we simply don't have enough room and resources to save every dog.

Friends to the Forlorn does not rehome any dogs with signs of people-aggression.

Once accepted in our program, the dogs receive all shots, are dewormed, heartworm tested, spayed or neutered, and receive other medical care if needed.Dog Boarding and Foster Care
Friends to the Forlorn does not operate a shelter. We have two options for the dogs in our program: boarding or foster care. While boarding is a life saving solution for dogs we rescue from difficult situations, it can be very stressful. Stray dogs, chained dogs, dogs that were mistreated and never had a good life before entering our program, usually accept boarding with ease. It's a step up for them and often a positive experience. Friends to the Forlorn relies on public donations to offset the cost of boarding.

We do our best to place our dogs into foster care while they are awaiting their forever home. We are always in need of foster families.

Even though we wish we could save more dogs, Friends to the Forlorn does not rush dogs out of our program to make room for new ones. Once we make a commitment to a dog, we will keep it for as long as it takes to find their perfect home.Adoption Restrictions
Pit Bulls are extremely affectionate and very people oriented. The dogs we rescue often come from difficult situations but never lost their profound love of people. Because these animals are so social and easy targets for thieves, we only place Pit Bulls with people who will keep them as indoor pets and cherished family members. Pit Bulls truly enjoy human company and are miserable living outside alone. Outside dogs can also develop behavior problems.

Anyone looking for an independent pet that can stay alone most of the time and does not require a lot of attention should look into a breed more suitable for their needs. Please make sure a Pit Bull is the right breed for you. Meeting You
Friends to the Forlorn conducts a home check before placing a dog in a new home. The goal of the home visit is not only to see where our dogs will live, but also to give our adopters a chance to get to know us better. Our home checks are not intrusive. The most important for us is to know that our dogs are going in safe and caring homes, and that all the members of the family are well informed and prepared for a life long commitment with their new companion.

COMPLETE OUR ADOPTION APPLICATION NOW > Saying Goodbye...
Saying goodbye is not easy. Don't be surprised if we shed a few tears on the adoption day. We have taken those dogs from difficult situations, nursed them back to health, taught them to be normal pets, and gave them a piece of our heart. It hurts to let go of our foster dogs, but knowing that we will be able to save another dog gives us the strength to say good-bye.